Matt As an aside you may want to consider how you retrieve the config xml file. Currently you are using the code
InputStream is = new FileInputStream(Constants.USER_HOME + configFile) While this is fine, it may not always be portable, or as portable as other methods. For instance Chiki has a similar mechanism for loading the config xml file, but it is done using URL conf.setConfigFile(getServletContext().getResource(chikiConfigFile)) ...and then.... Document doc = builder.build(getConfigFile()); This removes any hardcoding in your constants file to the path of the file, and is more portable across containers. 'chikiConfigFile' is a Servlet Init parameter, so the location can be changed at deploy time without changing code. As I said, your example does work. I just wanted to point out alternative method that may be more suitable. Check the Chiki code for full details. Cheers Ghoot > -----Original Message----- > From: Matt Raible [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: 06 March 2002 22:13 > To: Struts Users Mailing List > Subject: RE: "Best Practice" for parsing an XML file - Code Review > Requested > > > I've completed this task - however, it would've been MUCH > easier to just use a > properties file. Of course, it could just be my experience > with XML parsing - > because I had to write a lot of code to grab 4 simple varaibles. > > private synchronized void loadConfig() throws Exception { > > // Initialize our configuration object > config = new Configuration(); > > logCat.debug("Looking for " + configFile + " in " + > Constants.USER_HOME); > > // Acquire an input stream to our configuration file > InputStream is = new > FileInputStream(Constants.USER_HOME + configFile); > > // No file found in user.home > if (is == null) { > logCat.debug("File not found at " + Constants.USER_HOME + > configFile > + " - looking in application's WEB-INF directory"); > > // Look for config.xml in WEB-INF > is = getServletContext() > .getResourceAsStream("/WEB-INF/" + configFile); > > if (is == null) { > throw new Exception("Configuration file '" > + configFile + "' not found in '" > + Constants.USER_HOME + "', nor in > '/WEB-INF/'"); > } > } > > > // Get the XML Document > DocumentBuilderFactory builderFactory = > DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance(); > DocumentBuilder builder = > builderFactory.newDocumentBuilder(); > Document doc = builder.parse(is); > > // close the input stream > is.close(); > > // get the repository root > NodeList rep = doc.getElementsByTagName("root"); > Node node = rep.item(0); > Text rootDir = (Text) node.getFirstChild(); > config.setRepositoryRootDir(rootDir.getNodeValue()); > > // get the assets directory > rep = doc.getElementsByTagName("assets"); > node = rep.item(0); > Text assetDir = (Text) node.getFirstChild(); > config.setAssetDir(assetDir.getNodeValue()); > > // get the assetView path > rep = doc.getElementsByTagName("viewPath"); > node = rep.item(0); > Text viewPath = (Text) node.getFirstChild(); > config.setAssetViewPath(viewPath.getNodeValue()); > > // get the assetView path > rep = doc.getElementsByTagName("default-passing-score"); > node = rep.item(0); > Text minScore = (Text) node.getFirstChild(); > config.setAssessmentMinScore(new > Double(minScore.getNodeValue()).doubleValue()); > > logCat.debug(config.toString()); > > } > > --- Ronald Haring <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Nothing is wrong with the properties file...Xml is just better > > > > > > 1. one config.xml file in one central place...it's so much > > > easier to manage > > > then a whole bunch of properties > > > > You can put all your properties in one file as well, lets > call that file > > config.properties > > > > > 2. xml handle the structure data much better then properties file > > > > data structure might be nice for communications between > computers but for > > users? > > e.g. > > RepositoryRoot=d:\ > > RepositoryAssets=assets > > RepositoryViewPath=file://d:/repository/assets > > > > seems just as clear to me as > > > > <respository> > > > > <root>d:/repository</root> > > > > <assets>assets</assets> > > > > <viewPath>file://d:/repository/assets</viewPath> > > > > </respository> > > etc. > > > > Cons of xml > > - Carefull with that ",<,> sign eugene, > > - Slow parsing > > > > Gr > > Ronald > > > > > > Furore B.V. > > Rijswijkstraat 175-8 > > Postbus 9204 > > 1006 AE Amsterdam > > tel. 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